Twenty Nine Minutes
by venkaskribbles
Summary: So much left unsaid in "The Kenzi Scale", this is primarily an exploration of Kenzi and Dyson's relationship, but there is some Hale love in there too. Spoilers for season 3, this piece is completely separate from my other story "The Devil in Me". Rated T for language. One Shot.


**Twenty Nine Minutes**

_By: Venkaskribble_

Note: Ok before anyone sends me a screamer I AM going to finish my other Kenzi/Dyson fic. I'm 3/4 the way through the next chapter actually. I just felt compelled to write something more 'cannon-ish' after watching "The Kenzi Scale". This takes place the morning after that episode ends. So spoilers, obviously. Please let me know what you think!

Disclaimer: I don't own these awesome characters, and am only borrowing them with no profit or malice intended!

* * *

Taking a deep breath, Dyson knocked on the door to Kenzi and Bo's place. He had a key, but wanted to announce himself before he came in. They were ladies after all. He was about to put his key in the lock when the door opened up to reveal Bo. She was wearing a pair of worn-in jeans and a black wide shouldered sweatshirt, hair was down and framing her face. She looked tired but to his surprise smiled warmly when she saw him, almost relieved. He would have expected her to still be angry about doubting her knowledge of her best friend, and locking her in a cage. Then again, it was she that had called him over in the first place. She needed to spend the next several days with Trick to begin her training, but after everything that had happened to Kenzi, she was loathe to leave her alone.

"Thank you Dyson, I know you had work today...but..." She looked upstairs worriedly, the sound of the shower running was plain where Kenzi currently was. Dyson shook his head.

"There is no where else I would rather be. I have an absurd amount of sick days on the book, so I can stay as long as you both need. Its important that you get this training as soon as possible, the Dawning is extremely serious." He stepped inside the threshold, setting his pack down as soon as they entered to the main room. There were several blankets piled up on the couch, and the Kenzi's Xbox was booted up. Water was boiling on the stove in the kitchen, and a bowl of oatmeal set aside, awaiting the water. Dyson frowned a bit, catching the faint smell of bile from the closed trashcan.

"How did she do last night?" He asked, moving the kettle off the burner right before it started to whistle. Bo's face grew serious as she split the last of the coffee between a travel mug for her and ceramic mug for him.

"The sedatives wore off around midnight, and she woke up with terrible nightmares. So we just sat together and watched some TV for a while. She had finally dozed back off and then she got really sick around 6:30, I think after having so little to eat for so long and then eating all that greasy heavy stuff..." She shook her head, eyes growing angry thinking of what Kenzi had been put through. "She has been in the shower for a while, I told her you would be here any minute...Dyson, she hasn't talked about what happened yet.." She looked up to the ceiling when the sound of the shower stopped her expression deeply worried.

Dyson frowned and poured the hot water into the bowl of oatmeal, assuming it was for Kenzi, something nice and gentle for her stomach. He felt a twinge of concern for the human, suddenly need to put eyes on his small friend. "She will, when she is ready. I've seen my fair share of horrible experiences, it takes a while for you to know how you feel about something, before you can articulate it to someone else." He looked at the lovely Succubus, knowing that she was torn between her need to prepare her self, and overwhelming desire to be close to the friend she almost had lost. Especially when that meant leaving her in the hands of someone who was in no small way responsible for what had happened.

He took a deep breath, leveling his gaze at her. "I swear I will not leave her side while you are gone...I know it does not provide any comfort right now, but I am so sorry for not believing you. I should have trusted your instincts. Especially when it comes to Kenzi." Bo looked at him for a long moment, and then nodded, accepting his words. She opened her mouth to say something, but then thinking on it, decided not too, She was still too angry, and might say something she would regret later. She moved to grab her own small bag.

"I may be there overnight. Do you need anything before I go?" He shook his head.

"No, I've got her Bo, I promise I will keep her safe. " She nodded and came around to the base of the stairs and shouted up. "I'm off to Jedi school Kenz, Dyson's here. I'll call tonight to let you know the plan!" Kenzi's voice, hoarse from disuse, and possibly from being sick earlier responded right away.

"Don't study too hard. Hey D-man, I'll be down in a bit."

Bo gave him a small wave and then saw herself out, a few moments later the sound of her car taking off down the road faded away. With only the two of them in the house, Dyson focused on Kenzi's movements upstairs, the subtle sounds of her brushing out her hair, pulling clothes out of drawers. But then, nothing. Growing concerned after several minutes without a sound, he frowned and took the bowl of slowly cooling oatmeal and moved to the base of the stairs.

"Kenzi?" He called. Not hearing any response, he headed upstairs, now shoeless feet moving silently on the old boards, despite his weight. Not seeing her in her room he turned to Bo's and drew up short at the sight before him.

Kenzi, was standing in front of Bo's full length mirror, her back to him. She was completely lost in thought, her eyes critical of the figure she gazed at, her eyes redrimmed with unshed tears. Clad in only a sports bra and a pair of Angry Birds boxers she had rolled down to sit low on her small hips, her wet hair was pulled into a messy bun atop her head.

For as much as her style was edgy, Kenzi very rarely exposed much of her skin, and when he saw the state of that alabaster expanse, the breath left him in a rush, startling Kenzi out of her revere. With a gasp of surprise, she reached for the towel on the corner of the mirror, but Dyson's hand stilled her. He didn't even realized he had moved. He gave her hand a small squeeze. He wasn't even sure why, but he needed to know, to see what she saw.

"Please, Kenz. May I see?" He asked, her beautiful eyes turned to look at him. The sadness and fear he saw in the blue-grey depths cut deep into his heart, causing it to contract painfully. But there was trust too, and after what seemed like forever, she nodded slowly and faced the mirror once more.

Standing just inches behind her, he began his slow examination, her upper back a maze of deep scratches and bruises, the kind earned from being dragged across rugged terrain. It stopped mid-back, her penchant for leather underbust corsets proved prudent, protecting her torso from the worst of the damage. The back of her calves and ankles were covered in deep long scratches from Inari's claws as the fae had dragged Kenzi to her cave. Her left ankle, that she barely had any weight on, was swollen and black from the bear trap she had been viced into.

The took a slow deep breath to calm himself before continuing, his wolf's bloodlust at the treatment of a packmate was threatening to overtake his higher thoughts. Resting a hand on her shoulder she shivered slightly at the touch, her eyes boring into him as he took in the damage her small body had incurred because of her loyalty to him.

He took a half a step forward, and allowed her to rest her back against him, giving her good leg a rest from supporting her. Using the mirror, he could see the impact that even a few days of malnutrition had on someone with such a small frame. Her bones, always healthily hidden beneath her skin and respectable muscle tone, now were clearly noticeable, her flat belly, slightly concave. The beautiful canvas of her skin a painted with vibrant yellows and greens of fading bruises.

For the first time Dyson could see the scar from their battle with the Garuda, terrible and ragged, cutting across most of her hip. Without thinking, his hand reached around to trace its' line. Kenzi's hand, bruised from the chains and healing rash at the wrist stilled his exploration, her whole body trembling. From what, Dyson could not be sure, the room was still uncomfortably warm from her shower's steam. He looked into the mirror then, meeting her eyes there as they both took in her refection.

While he saw only her beauty and bravery reflected, she saw something else, and he witnessed the very instant the dam within her broke.

A soul-wrenching sob escaped her then, doubling over, forward into his strong arm. Pulling her against him, he scooped her up easily and moved to lay her down on Bo's bed. Without thinking, he curled around her, wrapping a single arm around her waist, pulling her as close as he could as his hand curled around the opposite shoulder. For a moment she kept stiff in his arms, perhaps trying to regain control, but when he whispered against her damp hair, she surrendered completely.

"Let it go, Kenzi. I'm here."

* * *

Hale emerged from the conference room, utterly exhausted. His meeting with the last remaining elder of the clans had required two long days of meditation with their ambassador, and no small amount of chanting. Weary to his very bones he accepted the glass of water from the assistant waiting patiently for him just outside the door with a nod of thanks and began to make his way to his quarters. The woman, mentioned something about a delivery while he had been in conference, but Hale raised his hand to quiet her.

"Later, please Alia. It can wait."

His temples throbbing from the prolonged concentration required to obtain the blessing, he was grateful when he felt the cool brass handle to the door of his room beneath his hand. Pressing it inward when he felt the latch give way, he stepped inside.

Much to his surprise, the entry hallway to his apartments was completely filled.

With clothes.

The most stunning and stylish array of suits, dress shirts, ties, vests, and shoes that he had ever seen awaited him. And if it could not get any better, a small mountain of hat boxes promised no shortage of amazing fedoras, carefully arranged for him to view and inspect.

_Kenzi. _

Hale felt his heart sink, remembering what he had done the last time he had seen his friend. Shame burned in the back of his throat. Looking to the entryway table there was a silver envelope, with Kenzi's handwriting on it, addressed to him. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he picked it up.

The first thing inside was his credit card, that he set aside on the table. The second was a note addressed to him. Unfolding it carefully, he had to smile at the purple ink she had used.

_Hale, _

_Hey man, I know you have been super busy and not had time to hang with the Gang, but I just wanted to tell you that you are missed. Especially by Dyson and I, Wolfman needs his wingman. But also, I just wanted to tell you how proud I am of you. If anyone can lead the Light Fae, and lead them right, it's you. You've got the right heart to do this. _

_In the meantime, enjoy the snazzy threads, we can get them altered later, I'll want a full fashion show. We need to talk soon, I need you advice about something pretty serious._

_*heart*_

_Kenz._

_PS. I bought myself a pair of new boots with your card...call it my stylist commission._

Hale's smile, involuntary while reading the note, turned sour when he thought of how he had treated her. She had been doing that hyper rambling thing she did when she was nervous or scared. She had needed to talk to him, and he had turned her away like she was nothing.

His phone rang loudly, startling him. It was the landline on his desk. His cell had been turned off for the last 48 hours. He picked it up, sounding more annoyed than he meant to. CallerID read "Lab"

"Sorry to disturb you sir, its just you ordered that you be directly contacted when the clean up teams bring in a body..." Hale recognized the voice of new newest staff member of the lab. He let out a long breath, the dude was just carrying out his own orders, he should not get mad.

"No its ok, I'll be right down."

He carefully folded the note and placed it in his pocket. A reminder to not forget who he was. Kenzi was so annoyingly good at holding people accountable to themselves. It was like her really amazing, incredibly frustrating super power. Making his way down to the lab he steeled himself. After so many years of being a cop, keeping a close watch on the kills of his people, accidental or otherwise was critical.

Arriving, he made his way to the morgue, spotting the young tech bent over a microscope. The kid smiled nervously and ducked his head in pseudo bow.

"Sorry again Sir about disturbing you, sir. I just finished off the autopsy, and knew you had standing orders to get a personal readout before I completed the paperwork." Hale nodded.

"I do, thank you for following through, Jasper, right?" The tech smiled and nodded, the Ash remembering someone so low on the totem pole made his day. "What do we got?"

"Well..." Jasper came out from behind his desk and approached one of the wall drawers. Unlatching it, he pulled the slab out. A small, obviously female form underneath a white sheet, long black hair peeking out at the edges. "COD was pretty easy this time, single gunshot wound to the upper abdomen by a .45 caliber handgun at point blank. Blew out her diaphragm and the lower part of her lungs. Pretty nasty, looks like she died choking on blood, couldn't draw a breath the diaphragm toasted like that."

Hale let out a low whistle, he had seen enough gunshot victims to know the damage a close range shot like that would cause. But it was odd, not your typical fae kill. Jasper must have seen the confusion on his face, because he chipped in, anticipating the next question.

"This one is pretty clear cut sir, not a feed, just self-defense. The body was picked up yesterday a fae's place..." He picked up the file, and took a look again. "Dyson?"

That hair, the small body...

_No...please no._

Hale yanked back the sheet.

Kenzi's beautiful face, rigid in death greeted him.

Hale felt his knees go weak, as he choked back a sob, seeing his friend's body so alone and unremarked in a Light fae morgue. Hand shaking, it moved to rest on her forehead, brushing back her bangs. Her skin always so warm was dry and cold. His hand moved so he could to chase away the last remnants of dried blood at her mouth, finding, quiet unexpectedly, rage boiling up from his stomach.

How had this happened and he not know? Where the hell were her friends? He was the fucking Ash, and he didn't know? He shook his head sharply and stood, something that Jasper had said fighting to surface through his grief and rage.

_Self defense_.

He turned to the tech, who had gone as white as a sheet at the emotions boiling out of his leader.

"Who called this in?" He demanded, his voice menacing.

"Doc Lauren, she asked us to keep an eye on the body, to see if would change back to its true shape...she is a Kitsune sir. The Doc said that it took the shape of a human friend of that Unaligned Succubus, keeping her alive to feed off her shape and smell to maintain the deception. Now that they had the human back safe and sound she was curious at how long the Kitsune's body could maintain the shape after death." He gestured to the body.

"Her clan called to let us know that they had declared this one banished awhile back, and we were free to dispose of the body just as soon as you signed off on the paperwork..." He swallowed hard, watching the relief wash over the Ash's face as his story unraveled. "This human who's shape she is wearing...I assume she is a good friend then?" He asked, his voice had gone soft, not an ounce of judgement in his question. Hale took a deep long breath to steady himself. He looked at Jasper for a long moment, he was so young, perhaps only 30 years old. The younger generation...they understood what he was trying to do, many had made close human friends friends in their lives, just as Hale had through his work through the police. He smiled despite himself.

"The best." He offered. Jasper's face relaxed as he realized he was not going to be fired.

"I'm sorry about his sir. If I had known about your friend...I never would have just shown you like this..." Hale shook his head quickly

"Not your fault." He straightened and pulled the sheet back over the imposter's face, wishing he could unsee the images that were now burned into his eyes. "She told me once...the real Kenzi, that if we spent more time actually taking care of each other, instead of getting wrapped up in so much drama, maybe the Fae wouldn't be at eachother's throats all the time."

Jasper laughed.

"She sounds alright to me then." He bit his lip realizing who he was speaking to. But then decided to take a risk with this Ash, who had just so openly expressed true sorrow for a human friend so briefly lost. "For what its worth, us young ones...we're with you all the way Sir. The world isn't what it used to be, all myths and legend. We need to learn how to change and grow. Its...a bit arrogant to expect the whole world to bend to us." He offered a hesitant smile and held out his report on a clipboard with a pen. Hale smiled back and quickly signed the paperwork.

Taking one last look at the body on the table he paused for a moment, thinking of Kenzi's words.

"Don't send her to the furnace, see that she gets a proper burial on neutral ground. Her Den may regret not saying goodbye one day." Jasper nodded.

"I'll see to it myself sir."

Hale nodded and saw himself out, rest would have to wait, he had some things he need to set right.

* * *

"You smell funny."

Dyson laughed despite himself at the unexpected accusation from the balled up mass of Kenzi in his arms.

"Excuse me?" He asked, releasing her a bit so she could reach up and grab a pillow, tucking it under her head. Her chest still shaking as occasional shutters of breath rumbled in her diaphragm as her body slowly regained composure.

She leaned into him once again and took a deep breath of his smell. The action was so unlike her, for a fraction of a second Dyson was alarmed that it was not the real Kenzi. But then, she she pulled back a bit, and her nose wrinkled in that adorable way it did, he relaxed.

"Even my lame human nose can smell different soap dumbass." She offered, wiping her eyes. She seemed in no great hurry to wiggle out of his embrace, and after almost losing her, he was in no great hurry to let her go.

"Ah. Yeah. I spent the night in a hotel not far from my place last night." He responded, pulling a loose blanket up over her shoulders in the cooling room. He could feel her goosebumps subside almost immediately.

"What's wrong with your place?" She asked, her voice was quiet and hoarse but calm. Dyson opened his mouth to respond, but then remembered exactly why he had not been able to sleep in his own bed last night. Memories flooded his sight unbidden.

_Kenzi's blood, seeping through his hands. Her small fingers desperately clawing at him as she drowned on dry land, but unable to draw breath. Horrible rasping sounds filled his ears as blood bubbled on her lips, her beautiful eyes dulling with every passing moment as her brain slowly starved of oxygen. Why wasn't she changing back...this wasn't his Kenzi...it couldn't be. But as horrible minutes pass, and her struggling stops, her shape remains, seeping her life blood into his bed. _

_Human smelling blood. _

_Kenzi's blood. _

_Her heart beat its last desperate cadence, and stilled. Kenzi's eyes, now dull and vacant stared at him. A minute passed. Two. Nothing, no change. Kenzi's small beautiful face, covered in blood stared at him with a confused expression, not understanding his betrayal. _

_Despair, true and absolute despair ripped Dyson apart. A sob ripped from his lips as he frantically pulled the lifeless body of his friend into his arms. He had killed her. His beautiful, crazy Kenzi. _

A gentle warm hand on his cheek brought him back from the waking nightmare with a start. Kenzi's eyes, so very, very alive bore into him with warmth and concern. She knew right away. She always knew.

"It was you, wasn't it? You killed Inari. While she looked like me." She offered quietly. He reached up to grasp her hand where it rested, giving it squeeze and nodding. Kenzi took a deep breath and slowly extracted herself from his arms, pulling herself to a seated position, she sat with her knees pulled under her chin thinking for a long moment. After a while, her expression grew cold and unreadable.

Dyson was unsure what to make of her expression, as he sat up on the edge of the bed regarding her for a long moment, surprised that she wan't more flustered at her general state of undress.

Weather she could read his mind, or suddenly became aware of the way his eyes lingered on her, she got off of Bo's bed and wobbled off towards her room. He gave her space, sensing that she was trying to work something out. After a moment she returned wearing a hooded sweatshirt from the college she had posed as a sorority girl almost two years ago. Standing on the opposite side of the bed she leaned against the bed post.

"How much damage did she do Dyson?" It was a loaded question, one he was ashamed to say he did't not know the full answer too. They had all been spread apart with their own problems lately, he couldn't remember the last time the whole group had been in the same room together.

"I can't say Kenzi, but she played us all against eachother like a pro. She knew how to use our trust in you, and how close you are to Bo, to turn us against her. Bo knew first though. And oddly...Tamsin I'm afraid to say. By the time Lauren and I figured it out, she and Bo were already on the run trying to find you."

"What made you finally realize she wasn't me?" She asked, unable to keep the edge of accusation out of her voice. Dyson looked at her for a long moment, accepting her frustration for what it was, fairly earned. If a sociopath had been impersonating him and it only took 4 days to turn everyone he loved against eachother, he would have been pissed too.

He probably should have chosen his next words a little more carefully.

"Well crawling half naked onto of me in bed and licking my face was a pretty solid indicator that something was not right." He laughed and smiled, expecting that would get a laugh.

Much to his surprise, it had the exact opposite effect. She paled considerably, and a horrified expression spread across her face. Dyson frowned, he had been trying to lightening the mood. Fail yet again.

He seemed to be failing a lot lately when it came to Kenzi. He stood and moved around to stand next to her. When he reached for her hand, she pulled it away. Turning on her heels she stalked off awkwardly downstairs, an incoherent stream of furious Russian spilling from her lips.

Closing the distance between them quickly he halted her pacing, placing both hands on her shoulders.

"Kenzi, come on. Talk to me, I was just trying to lighten the mood. Of all the things she did, why is that pissing you off so much. I'm not upset about it. Why are you?" He asked earnestly.

"Because!" She exclaimed, furious at this whole fucking situation. Her heart was pounding painfully against her chest, and her stomach clenched at the powerful emotions rolling through her exhausted body.

Dyson would not leave her be, his massive fame blocking her from escaping as his hands locked on her shoulders. Serious concern for her growing erratic behavior on his face, his voice raising. "Because what Kenzi?" He could see something bubbling over in her that had been building for a very very long time. In all of his centuries of war and battle, he was surprised to find that he was actually afraid of the fury that he had a feeling was about to unleashed. Most of all perhaps, for the part he undoubtedly played in engendering it.

"Because I'm fucking furious!" She shoved his chest ineffectually. "I'm so goddamn mad Dyson I could just scream. After every single time I took shit from your people and didn't say a word. Everytime I helped clean up your fucking messes without asking for anything in return I get nothing but contempt and loathing. I look like a warzone, and feel like I'm 90 years old some mornings from battles I fought when your own "glorious" race hid in holes and skipped town. But you know what? I didn't give a rat's ass because you all are my friends. That means you stay by people even when its hard, even when it hurts." She took a deep breath, emotion overewhelming her a she choked back a sob, tears threatening. "Because I gave up Nate! Who loved me so much, and I pushed him away, Dyson. I looked him in the face and told him that I had never really loved him back. Because Bo has Lauren. And as much as I wanted to hate her, I don't. And Hale...he is the Ash now and threw me out like I was just garbage! Because my problems were inconvenient, unimportant. Because Trick takes every chance he can get to remind me that I don't belong in your world. And you..." Her fist pounded on his chest, fresh tears finally escaping. Dyson grabbed it and held it fast against his heart. Trying to understand what he had done to engender this much Kenzi rage. She was truly, truly angry. Her whole body shaking with it.

"And me what Kenz?" His voice whisper soft. In all the times that he had seen Kenzi in a crisis, he had never seen her like this. So very close to despair.

She shook her hand hard, trying to break it free, but he wouldn't let go.

"You...are amazing. This beautiful baddass with the biggest heart I've ever seen and I love you so much. But if that thing...if that thing trying to sleep with you was horrible enough for you to think her an imposter...then that means you've never even thought...that I'm such an idiot to think...that someone like you could want..." She made a horrible sound and turned away from him as much as she could with her hand caught fast against his chest. Her shoulders sank with her ebbing fury, rendering her suddenly so very small.

"God. I am such a fucking idiot. Could you please just leave? I...just need to be alone for a bit."

But he didn't move. Or say a word. For an uncomfortable minute he just stood there, holding her fist against his heart while she trembled, waiting for him to leave.

But he couldn't leave. His feet were anchored to the ground as surly as a great tree.

He could feel her pulse inside the small veins of her hand beneath his. Blood, mortal blood, filled with so much courage and passion for life, the likes of which he had never seen in all his years flowing to her heart. The same heart that had beaten furiously in the dark as she dragged his body, so near death from the depths of the sewers, acting as a lifeline for his grief. Forcing him to keep living when his shame made him want to die. The same heart that was the first sound he had heard when his love had flowed back into his soul. The same heart he heard sputter and die the very moment he realized that he didn't know how to live in this new world without her in it.

The very moment he realized how much he loved her.

Reaching across the space between he pulled her head between his two hands, gently forcing her to look at him.

"Twenty nine minutes, Kenzi."

His words were whisper soft, his voice dropping in register at the weight of the emotion that carried them. "For twenty nine minutes, the bravest, most loyal friend I have ever known laid dead in my arms. For twenty nine minutes, every single smile, every laugh you pulled from these cranky stubborn lips, every time you reminded me to never stop trying to be a better fae, ran through my mind as I held your broken bleeding body in my bed. For twenty nine minutes I tried to think if I had ever, even for a moment, truly shared with you how much you meant to me. How it frightens me how much you matter. How much I needed you in my life. When I realized that I had not said...that I had been too afraid to admit...Kenzi, I love you. And I don't want you to live one more moment of your terrifyingly mortal life without you knowing how much you are loved, and by noone more than me."

He took a deep stuttering breath, unsure how she would react. He was not usually one for long speeches, but...she wasn't taking in any air. She stood so still, staring at him in utter shock, that she had forgotten how to breathe. He shook her shoulders sharply and too his relief she took in a massive draw of air. First color, and then deep blush creeping into her cheeks. He had actually managed to render Kenzi completely speechless.

Perhaps it was the absurdity of someone his age waiting on the words of someone so young like a foolish school boy, but Dyson couldn't contain the nervous laugh that escaped him.

"Kenzi...what are you thinking."

She looked a him quizzically for a moment, her eyes seeming to have turned into a darker shade of blue, a slow sexy smile blossoming across her lips.

"Just to avoid any more confusion in our already absurd lives, when you say _love_ do mean like "love" or like _in love _because I would imagine there is big difference betwe..." He laughed then, true joyous laughter deep in his gut the likes of which he hadn't felt in such a long time.

Before she had a chance to utter one syllable more, he grabbed her by the waist and pulled that beautiful mouth to his. The taste and smell of her overwhelmed his senses as he poured every desire, every emotion into her with that kiss.

Her small hands, sure and strong grabbed his vest pulling him closer still as she returned his passion with her own, sweet and ardent, and so full of life. Burning all the brighter for its brevity.

And when she finally surrendered, his name spilling in ecstasy off her lips, the Wolf howled in approval.

Fin.


End file.
